American Tea Room Reopens in Beverly Hills

Well-heeled locals and tourists alike can now take a tea break at the newly reopened American Tea Room on Canon Drive, in the heart of the famed Beverly Hills upscale shoppers paradise. Founder David Barenholtz is one of the most successful independent tea retailers in the U.S. He is a pioneer of in-store education using high-tech multimedia to describe the company's offerings. In 2014, he decided that his original store needed a renovation that invites tea drinkers to experiment and sample its exotic selections of single-origin and highly regarded teas. After closing in 2015 for a year of renovations, the American Tea Room’s flagship location now offers more than 200 premium teas from around the world, including Hekisui Artisan Ceremonial Matcha Tea, only available in the U.S. from the American Tea Room. The fine Japanese matcha retails for $165 for a 30-gram tin on the American Tea Room website.

The 2,400 sq ft contemporary wood floor and white-wall upgrade includes an expanded tea bar that now offers coffee, chai, and other tea-based beverages along with fine pastries from Cake Monkey. A rotating, pop-up installation describes tea regions and terroir. The Beverly Hills location, which first opened in 2003, is one of three in the SoCal area. Its other two locations are in Downtown L.A. and Newport Beach. As well as its selection of fine teas from around the world, the company also sells a wide range of tea ware, accessories, and gifts, as well as snacks in its tea rooms. Sources: American Tea Room, NBC